Ontario’s Flooding Strategy, just released by the Province in response to the Flood Advisor’s 2019 Report, reinforces a commitment to protect people and property from the devastating and costly impacts of flooding. Grey Sauble Conservation Authority (GSCA) welcomes the coordinated approach the Province proposes to build across ministries and in partnership with municipalities and CAs.

“We are pleased to see that the Strategy recognizes that managing the risk of flooding here in Ontario requires a multi-ministry, multi-agency approach. The role that conservation authorities play in both mitigating the impacts of flooding and helping municipalities prepare for flood impacts is vital to the ongoing success of flood management in Ontario. However, ongoing investment in infrastructure, planning policy, development regulations, and watershed monitoring is still necessary,” said Tim Lanthier, Chief Administrative Officer of GSCA. GSCA, along with the province’s 35 other conservation authorities play a key role in Ontario’s flood management system.

The Flooding Strategy also calls for the update of existing natural hazard technical guidelines used to support municipal and conservation authority implementation of flood programs and activities which has been a key request of conservation authorities in provincial consultations.

The cost of reducing flooding risks has to be shared. Ontario needs a funding formula which enables a mix of risk planning, watershed management, infrastructure updating and emergency response.

More floods, higher damage costs and increased business and utility disruptions are inevitable. The Flooding Strategy appears to signal that the Province understands the hardships that flooding can create for residents, government and businesses.

“GSCA and Ontario’s other conservation authorities are looking forward to continued partnerships with the Province to address this issue in Ontario. We want our communities to be safe, and it makes good business sense to rely on the flood management expertise that conservation authorities already provide on a watershed basis.” - Tim Lanthier.

source: media release, Grey Sauble Conservation Authority